The cost of heating water

is usually the second-biggest energy expenditure in a multi-unit residential building, exceeded only by the cost of space heating.

As building envelopes become more energy efficient, the cost of water heating grows as a proportion of overall building energy load profiles and costs. Currently, nearly 90% of the heat energy in warm drain water is wasted down the drain. In terms of overall annual energy expenditures, this has a significant impact on a building owner''s budgets. Considering the lifecycle of a building, the cost of this wasted energy is enormous.

The Power-Pipe® Drain Water Heat Recovery (DWHR) System is a proven and effective means to immediately reduce building water heating costs by 20 to 40% and to continue saving throughout the entire building lifecycle.

The Power-Pipe is simple to specify and easy to install. With its exclusive patent-pending design, it is the only heat exchanger that efficiently allows for up to four apartment or condominium units to be plumbed on a single Power-Pipe unit, without a discernible water pressure loss.

Technically known as a falling film heat exchanger, the Power-Pipe is based on a fundamental physical principle called the "falling film" effect. Water falling down a vertical drain stack does not run down the middle of that stack, but instead clings to its inside wall. This creates a thin "falling film" from which the all-copper Power-Pipe can readily recover heat energy.

Built of quality materials and with no moving parts, the Power-Pipe System is simple, effective, foolproof, and maintenance-free, with an expected service life of more than 50 years.

The Power-Pipe's performance has been verified by Natural Resources Canada, the University of Waterloo, as well as other American and Canadian agencies and power companies, in independent third-party testing. The Power-Pipe's proven technology is presently at work in many multi-unit residential projects, including condominiums, apartment buildings, affordable housing developments and university residences.

With its low initial cost and ability to recover up to 40% of the heat energy that is otherwise lost in drain water, the Power-Pipe helps building owners realize an attractive return on their investment, with a full payback typically in 3 to 4 years. In addition, the Power-Pipe qualifies for energy efficiency financial incentives available from numerous governments, as well as many power utility companies.

The Power-Pipe was designed and is manufactured by RenewABILITY Energy Inc. (REI), a developer of cost-effective energy saving solutions for institutional, commercial, industrial and residential customers around the world.

To learn more about Power-Pipe DWHR Systems, or to get started with an installation: